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Passion cycles
customarily include the key events that lead to Jesus Crucifixion,
starting with the Entry into Jerusalem and culminating in the Discovery
of the empty tomb. Sometimes the actual scene of the Resurrection is also
included, expounding the symbol of the empty tomb.
Most of the works included in this exhibition are grouped around two
seminal moments: the Flagellation and the Crucifixion. The image of Christ
bound at the column, mocked by the crowd and whipped, gave artists the
opportunity to portray his dignity and resignation as he fully accepts
his fate. The complex symbolism of this representation builds toward the
climactic scene of the Crucifixion, the central moment of the Christian
story.
These works illustrate how artists, especially in the Renaissance and
post-Renaissance periods, tended to use an established prototype for the
portrayal of Christ. Whether he is part of a story or an isolated figure,
Jesus is recognizable in virtue of his recurring facial features. Differences
and variables, obvious over time and style changes, only contribute to
emphasizing a certain family air.
View the Images
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